Speaking at the high level panel on ‘Setting the Standards for Prevention of and Response to SGBV: progress in addressing operational challenges&, chaired by UNFPA Executive Director Natalie Kanem, Minister Marapana focused on the preventive measures taken by Sri Lanka law enforcement authorities in collaboration with Civil Society and community leaders, to address the issue, especially in the camps for the Internally Displaced Persons in the North and East.
He outlined the legal framework currently in place to combat the challenge and underlined the deep rooted socio-cultural constraints that often obstructed effective reporting of instances of such abuse and violence.
Sri Lanka was one of the first Member States to sign the UN Secretary General Voluntary Compact to eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse in the UN, including in UN peacekeeping Missions.
Sri Lanka had also contributed to the Secretary General Trust Fund for the victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in September 2017.